The present disclosure relates generally to piping assemblies and, more specifically, to clamped flange connector systems used with piping assemblies.
At least some known pipelines that channel fluid therethrough have sections that are coupled together via mechanical connectors, such as a clamped flange connector. Known clamped flange connectors typically include two hubs that are similarly sized. Each hub is coupled to an end of each interfacing pipeline section, such that each hub has a flange member extending therefrom. The two hubs are coupled together via a clamp that extends circumferentially about the flange members. The clamp carries axial and bending loads induced from the pipeline and also carries internal pressure loads induced from the pipeline. Clamped flange connectors may be used for a variety of applications, such as, but not limited to, power generation systems (e.g., gas turbine engine fuel supply systems), oil & gas production systems, chemical processing systems, food processing systems, and aerospace manufacturing systems.
Some known clamped flange connectors are removable such that two pipeline sections may be disconnected and then reconnected again. However, some known applications include multiple pipelines, all with similar sizes, in which the connections are all made at a similar location. As such, a likelihood of cross-coupling or cross-connecting two different pipeline sections is increased. For example, at least some known fuel supply systems of gas turbine engines include multiple flexible fuel pipelines that channel fuel flow from a fuel source to a combustion assembly. Each fuel pipeline may include multiple sections that are coupled together via the clamped flange connectors. In some fuel supply systems, each fuel pipeline carries a similar fuel, but each of the multiple fuel lines is coupled to a specific circuit of the combustion assembly, and different circuits are supplied with fuel at different times during operation. During maintenance of the gas turbine engine these fuel pipeline sections may be disconnected, and after maintenance, the fuel pipeline sections may be reconnected via the clamped flange connector. However, if the fuel pipelines are cross-coupled during the reconnection, combustion problems may occur in the gas turbine engine during operation, creating excess wear. Some known clamped flange connectors may be labeled to reduce cross-coupling, however, the labels may become unreadable over time.